Did you know that a whopping 60% (!!!) of candidates get rejected during aptitude testing?

In the article below, we will provide you with a step by step overview of the best tips for successfully passing the KPMG candidate assessment process during recruitment. Follow proven recommendations and tips from Graduates First, a team of organisational psychologists and recruiters.

This is your 2019/ 2020 guide to passing the KPMG’s aptitude tests, interviews and assessment centre.

KPMG is one of the Big Four professional services companies and for many is the top destination to work at. Every year they receive tens of thousands job applications, in the UK alone. Unfortunately for applicants, there are only a few job openings at KPMG and so the competition is extremely tough. In order to streamline the recruitment process, the company uses online aptitude tests, often rejecting more than 60% of candidates – depending on the business line.

The KPMG recruitment process is made of five different stages; each requiring you to do your best and outperform your competitors if you want to land your dream job. This is why we are providing this step-by-step guide; so you can benefit from expert tips at each of the stages of their recruitment process, including:

STEP 1

KPMG Online Application Form

This part of the recruitment process is your first chance to set a good impression and stand out from your competition. The online form will ask you to provide details of your education and any academic results, work experience and potentially some motivational questions, depending on the business area you apply to.

Tip: Apply as early as possible. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. This way you increase your chances of progression to the next stage of the recruitment process.

STEP 2

KPMG Situational Judgement Test

KPMG’s Situational Judgement Test will provide you with a number of scenarios that you are likely to encounter when working at KPMG; it will require you to identify the best and worst courses of actions. You will need to use your common sense, and appreciation of what it takes to excel in a professional environment, to give satisfactory responses.

Tip: KPMG Situational Judgement Test is written in a way that makes all answers seem desirable. Always bear in mind which response is the most practical and demonstrates the key characteristics of an ideal candidate.

IMPORTANT: You will only have around 30 minutes to complete this test and you must do it within 7 days of receiving the email.

For more hints on how to pass a situational judgement test, visit our Youtube channel

KPMG-style Situational Judgement Test Example

STEP 3

After you complete the Situational Judgement Test, you will find out whether you have progressed to the next stage of the recruitment stage – and this will consist of online aptitude tests.

These will include KPMG’s:

Numerical reasoning test,

Verbal reasoning test

The difficulty level of the KPMG online tests will depend on the business area and position you applied to, so be sure to carefully read all the information in the aptitude test invite email.

IMPORTANT: Like the Situational Judgment Test, you will have 7 days to complete the tests from the day you receive the invitation email. Each test should only take around 20 minutes.

a) KPMG Numerical Reasoning Rest

Since working at KPMG will require you to use numerical skills and ability to interpret data from tables and charts, the KPMG numerical reasoning test will examine your ability to understand a previously unseen passage – as well as its data. You will be required to perform basic GCSE Maths calculations.

Do not worry if you have not done Maths in a while! The complexity of this does not lie in the knowledge tested but in the time pressure and stress. When taking your numerical reasoning test, you will have less than a minute to read the question, analyse data provided and perform the necessary calculations.

Tip: The only way to succeed is to take practice tests beforehand. This way you familiarize yourself with the types of questions and become more confident. Learn how to manage your stress in a safe environment and you will not have to face rejection – just because you were unfamiliar with the process.

For more hints on how to pass a numerical reasoning test, visit our Youtube channel

If you are looking for a KPMG-style numerical reasoning test with answers, worked-solutions and professional score reports including personalised tips based on your performance – then Graduates First has it covered.

KPMG-style Numerical Reasoning Test Example

b) KPMG Verbal Reasoning Test

KPMG’s Verbal Reasoning Test will determine how confident you are in extracting information from a previously unseen passage of text, to identify whether the following statements are true, false, or impossible to say based on the information contained in the passage of text.

KPMG’s Verbal Reasoning Test could potentially be more challenging for non-native speakers in English, but the advice we give to everyone is to practice verbal reasoning test questions beforehand, as this allows you to understand the specific way in which the texts are built and questions asked. The format of questions is very different to anything you would experience at school.

Tip: To have a better understanding of what is required of you, always start by reading the passage first before even looking at the question. Make sure you fully understand the text and only then should you attempt answering the question.

KPMG-style Verbal Reasoning Test example

STEP 4

KPMG Digital Submission

If you have successfully passed through the aptitude tests stage, you will be required to record short (around 2-minutes long) responses relating to two KPMG global behavioural capabilities ‘Makes an Impact’ and ‘Career Motivation’. You will have 3 days to complete this assessment.

Tip: Practice your responses to assess your tone and body language, by recording yourself or standing next to the mirror. Ask your friends how they would perceive you by showing them the video, and then make necessary changes.

Tip: 2 minutes is not a long time, so make sure that your responses are precise and clear! Focus on demonstrating your enthusiasm and motivation to work for KPMG. Prove that your communication skills are outstanding. This is your chance to impress the recruiters. Be creative and original!

STEP 5

KPMG Launch Pad Recruitment Event

This is the last stage of the recruitment stage; so congratulations if you have made it this far. There are only a few things left before you land your dream job.

The Launch Pad Recruitment Event will be a chance for you to network with professionals working at KPMG, and learn more about the company. It is the perfect time for you to get a better insight into what it is like to work at KPMG.

However, you will still need to go through a few assessments to prove that you are an ideal candidate for the job. These might involve:

KPMG Group Exercise

This exercise will examine your ability to work as part of a team. Throughout this task various KPMG employees will observe you and how you solve problems, when required to work with others.

It is important that you are confident to share and argue for your ideas, but also be ready to contribute to somebody else’s input. Most importantly, speak clearly and do not interrupt anyone!

Tip: Try to persuade others towards your ideas and also ask critical though-provoking questions; but only do so when it feels natural. You need to appreciate that other people on the team are just as important.

This task will ask you to prepare a response to a previously unseen case study problem. It will be provided in the candidate brief given to you.

Tip: Start by skimming through all the information in the candidate brief and then plan your response quickly. You should not be starting to answer before you form a clear idea for your response. Always check your spelling and watch the time – in many cases it might be better to miss one or two arguments in order to finish the task on time.

This will be a one-on-one interview with the partner or director from the business area you wish to join. It will be a competency basedinterview, and it is a final chance for you to demonstrate your passion, skills and enthusiasm to work for KPMG.

At the end of the KPMG Senior Partner Interview, you will be given a chance to ask questions. You must definitely use this opportunity! This is a way of showing that you are interested and motivated, so prepare some thought-provoking and interesting questions beforehand. You can also ask your interviewer about his career path.

If you have been successful at this event, KPMG will get back to you within 2 days. If you have not been successful on this occasion, you will be given an option to request feedback on your performance. Use this opportunity to improve for future job searches.

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